* MERITAGE HOMES REPORTS PRELIMINARY HOME CLOSINGS, ORDERS, AND BACKLOG FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2017

* MERITAGE HOMES CORP - PRELIMINARY HOME CLOSINGS INCREASED APPROXIMATELY 9% TO 1,969 IN Q3 OF 2017 FROM 1,800 IN Q3 OF 2016

* MERITAGE HOMES CORP - PRELIMINARY NET ORDERS INCREASED APPROXIMATELY 8% TO 1,874 IN Q3 FROM 1,737 IN SAME PERIOD OF 2016

* MERITAGE HOMES CORP SEES ENDING BACKLOG INCREASED TO 3,333 UNITS AT END OF Q3 OF 2017, COMPARED TO 3,251 AT SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

* MERITAGE HOMES CORP - TWO OF CO‘S LARGEST DIVISIONS WERE SEVERELY IMPACTED BY HURRICANES IN Q3

* MERITAGE HOMES - LOST TWO WEEKS OF PRODUCTION AND SALES IN HOUSTON DUE TO HURRICANES, WHICH DELAYED ABOUT 30-35 CLOSINGS & AS MANY AS 40 SALES DURING QUARTER Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: